Do you have a genetic defect in the MTHFR gene??
What's the Big Deal About Methylation?! Update of the Popular MTHFR Blog Post… Maybe you've have a family history of heart attack or stroke… maybe you've suffered through multiple miscarriages. Or maybe you struggle with chronic migraine headaches or irritible bowel syndrome or depression. Perhaps your child or a sibling has autism. What do all these things have in common? Well, these are just some of the conditions liked to a faulty enzyme called MTHFR.
What's up with MTHFR?
MTHFR stands for methyl-tetrahydrofolate reductase, an enzyme that is responsible for the process of methylation in every cell in your body. MTHFR is a common genetic variant that causes this key enzyme in the body to function at a lower than normal rate. This can lead to a variety of medical problems. Although there are over fifty known MTHFR variants, the two primary ones are called C677T and A1298. Your doctor can order a blood test to determine if you have these genetic variants. Better yet, you can order a complete genetic profile yourself through 23andMe.
What's the big deal about methylation?
Methylation is a core process that occurs in all cells to help your body make biochemical conversions. When people with genetic mutations is MTHFR are exposed to toxins, they have a harder time getting rid of them which can cause some very serious illnesses. The methylation process is responsible for:
- Cellular Repair: synthesis of nucleic acids, production and repair of DNA and mRNA
- Detoxification and Neurotransmistter Production: interconversion of amino acids
- Healthy Immune System Function: formation and maturation of red blood cells, white blood cells & platelet production
The 677T variant is most commonly associated with early heart disease and stroke and the 1298C variant with a variety chronic illnesses, but either anomaly can cause a wide variety of health problems. The MTHFR anomaly is reported out as heterozygous or homozygous. If you are heterozygous that means you have one affected gene and one normal gene. Your enzyme activity will run at about 60% efficiency compared to a normal.
If you are homozygous or have 2 abnormal copies, then enzyme efficiency drops down to 10% to 20% of normal, which can be very serious. The worst combination is 677T/1298C in which you are heterozygous to both anomalies. Many chronic illnesses are linked to this anomaly. Fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, chemical sensitivity, frequent miscarriage and frequent blood clots are all conditions associated with MTHFR anomaly. For a great diagram of more methylation related health problems, check this out:
Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant and detoxifier. One of the ways that MTHFR gene mutation can make you susceptible to illness is by lowering your ability to make glutathione. People with MTHFR anomalies usually have low glutathione, which makes them more susceptible to stress and less tolerant to toxic exposures. Accumulation of toxins in the body and increased oxidative stress, which also leads to premature aging.
Some conditions that may be associated with MTHFR gene mutations
- Autism
- Addictions: smoking, drugs, alcohol
- Down’s syndrome
- Frequent miscarriages
- Male and female infertility
- Pulmonary embolism and other blood clots
- Depression and anxiety
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chemical Sensitivity
- Parkinson’s disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Stroke
- Spina bifida
- Migraines
- Hyperhomocysteinemia
- Breast cancer
- Atherosclerosis
- Alzheimer’s
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
- Methotrexate Toxicity
- Nitrous Oxide Toxicity
Treatment for MTHFR
Fortunately, you can easily be tested for the MTHFR mutation. If you find out that you have one or more of the gene mutations, you can supplement with methyl-folate and methyl B12, the active forms of these B vitamins. You can also supplement with liposomal or acetyl-glutathione, the end product of the pathway. Glutathione is poorly absorbed so either the liposomal form or a precursor, called n-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be used. Some of my favorites are Thorne Research Methyl Guard Plus and 5-MTHF 1mg and 5mg.
There are prescription medicines, that also contain methyl-folate: Deplin, MetanX, CerefolinNAC are a few. Methyl B12 can also be given as shots, nasal sprays, and sublingually. The intramuscular shots are by far the most effective method and must be prescribed by your physician. The choice of nutrients will vary from patient to patient and should be done under a doctor's supervision. There is a bell-shaped optimal curve so you may not feel well with too much or too little of the appropriate supplements. Other B vitamins, such as riboflavin and vitamin B6 also play an important role. As you may have surmised, this can be quite complex and I suggest you find a functional medicine trained physician to help you sort through your needs for the different nutrients if you have a chronic health condition related to the gene mutations. It is not uncommon for patients with these genetic polymorphism's to be very sensitive to supplementation.
Patients who I recommend be screened for MTHFR mutations:
- Mood disorders: depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, bipolar
- Infants and children of parents with MTHFR mutations
- Family members related to someone with MTHFR mutations
- Infertility and Pre-conception care: test both man and woman
- Elevated folate (not processing to active 5-MTHF due to inability to methylate)
- Elevated homocysteine (due to low active 5-MTHF and methylcobalamin)
- Elevated s-adenosylhomocysteine (due to low active 5-MTHF and methylcobalamin)
- Elevated serum cobalamin (due to inability to methylate cyanocobalamin to methylcobalamin)
- Elevated methylmalonic acid (due to methylcobalamin deficiency)
- Patients with syndromes: IBS, multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, Down syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome
- Neurological disorders: Multiple sclerosis, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Parkinson's
- Cancer: family history of cancer or undergoing cancer treatment
- Cervical dysplasia
- Cardiovascular risk: family history of strokes, embolisms, heart attacks, clots, hypertension
- Birth defects: cleft palate, tetralogy of Fallot, spinal bifida, midline defects
- Drug sensitivities: methotrexate, anti-seizure meds, nitrous oxide, anesthesia
If you are interested in knowing more about your genes, the 23andme gene test will be the best $99 investment you've ever spent !
More reading
Holistic Primary Care
Genetics Home Reference
Molecular Biology of MTHFR
Genetics of Homocysteine Metabolism
Homocysteine and MTHFR mutation
LiveWello Gene app
![204: Resiliency Radio with Dr. Jill: Can our Minds Spontaneously Transform our Health? Bruce Lipton Dr. Jill 00:00 Hey guys, I am so excited to announce that the movie that you've been waiting for, the documentary Doctor/Patient, is now available for rent or purchase at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Check out the trailer here. 00:13 Dr. Jill: When I really knew something was wrong, was when I started having trouble walking up the stairs. I was supposed to be grateful and happy and healing and well and thriving, but I did not feel that way. I was so sick. Like always, I wanted to find an answer, and I had to figure it out. And I had to figure it out to save my own life. So I dove in. 00:38 James Maskell: Jill is the leading voice in biotoxin illness and chronic conditions that are driven by toxicity. 00:43 Bree Argetsinger: Oh my gosh, you're dealing with mold? You have to work with Dr. Jill Carnahan. 00:47 Patient 1: Dr. Jill is the first person that actually began to shed some light on the problem. 00:53 Dr. Jill: What I do is listen to the patient, and we together talk about what else is possible. 00:59 Patient 2: I don't know why I'm crying. 01:02 Patient 3: She saved my life. 01:06 Dr. Jill: The deepest lessons and most profound insights come in the suffering, come in the dark moments. Self-compassion is the healing transition that shifts something inside of us. It's actually the thing that we need most in order to heal. 01:26 Narrator: Doctor/Patient—available now at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Dr. Jill 01:36 Hey, welcome to Resiliency Radio, your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights in functional and integrative medicine. I'm your host, Dr. Jill. In each episode, we dive into the heart of healing and personal transformation. Join us as we connect with renowned experts, thought leaders, and innovators who are at the forefront of medical research, empowering you with knowledge and wisdom to overcome illness in your journey to optimal health. Dr. Jill 02:02 Hey guys, if you don't already know, if you've been around me at all, you know my movie, Doctor/Patient is now out. You can view it, share it, gift it, or rent it at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Be sure to check it out and then I would love to hear your feedback after you've had a chance to watch it. Dr. Jill 02:19 Today, I am deeply honored to have guest Bruce Lipton here with me. He's a PhD, a cell biologist, a lecturer, and an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. We were just talking before we came on about how he has been a leader [for] decades before a lot of us in functional/integrative medicine came along. And I am so excited! If you're a doctor listening—and I know I have a lot of audience there—you are in for a treat. If you're a patient, you're also in for a treat. Stay tuned. Dr. Jill 02:47 Bruce was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and later performed groundbreaking stem cell research at Stanford University. He's a best-selling author of The Biology of Belief—if you haven't read that book, it's a classic now—The Honeymoon Effect, and the co-author with Steve Bhaerman of Spontaneous Evolution. Bruce received his prestigious 2009 Goi Peace Award from Japan in honor of his scientific contribution to world harmony. Bruce, it is a true honor and delight to have you here! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 03:17 Jill, I am a happy person to be here because this audience that I get a chance to talk to, to me, is a very important audience. These are the cultural creatives that are paving the way for the future that we need to get into very soon because we're facing an evolutionary upheaval at this very moment. Whether you watch the news, surf the web, or even look out your window, the whole planet has experienced chaos at every level of it. People are focusing on the little chaos, like focusing on the trees, without pulling back to see the biggest thing that's happening and nobody's saying the words. NASA—Let me just say NASA's words. NASA has recognized that within the next 20 years, civilization is facing—and this is my emphasis here—an irreversible collapse. The reason is so mathematically simple. Let me give the math. Dr. Jill 04:16 Sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:17 Science has recognized that to continue living just the way we're living—just say, let's every day live the way we're living today on this planet—it takes 1.6 planet Earths to provide the resources for today's civilization. The simple math is this: There's one Earth subtracted from 1.6, and we're recognizing: "Where the hell are we getting the extra points?" Dr. Jill 04:39 We're in a deficit. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:40 And that deficit is leading to the destruction of the web of life. We have to also recognize this: Even though the Bible is giving us some fanciful story that nature was created and then humans were added on top of nature—no, we evolved from nature. We are nature. If nature goes down, humans go down, because we are part of this web of life. Our separation in our consciousness [that causes us to believe] that we can dominate nature, I say, "How's that working?" I say, "We're facing an extinction." That's a biological reality at this moment. It's called a mass extinction. It happened five times in the history of this planet: Life was thriving, [then] mass extinction. It knocked it all out and then it started again. We are there because of our behavior. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 05:33 And I say, "Our behavior is based on our consciousness." I go: "Okay, wait a second. Is that New Age?" I go: "No, let's stop. No New Age here at this moment." [In] 1927—day one, quantum physics—Max Planck, the founding father of quantum physics, states: "The mind is the creator of our life experiences." Quantum physics—the most valid of all the sciences today in the sense of its predictions and accuracy. Quantum physics. And it's still the belief in quantum physics: Consciousness is controlling this. And I go: "So if consciousness is controlling this, then why are we in such a mess?" The answer is: We have been programmed, and the programming has disempowered us all. It has disempowered us as patients. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 06:28 I go: "I'll give you a program that disempowers you right now." I say, "What is it?" "It's called genetic determinism." That was what I was teaching in medical school: Genes control the character of life. I go: "Did we pick the genes as far as we know? No. But if we don't like the characters we have, can we change the genes? No, can't do that." And then let's just add a little tidbit: Genes turn on and off by themselves. And I say: "You put those together and what have you done? You have told the patients that their lives are not in their control, they're controlled by their heredity, and that they're victims of heredity. Which is victims of what? Genetics. And what does a person know about genetics? Nothing. Who does know something? The doctor. Aha! The program is: When it comes to health, people do not trust themselves." They say: "I need an expert opinion. I'm not knowledgeable." They accept the truth from somebody else. Dr. Jill 07:28 I so love the direction that you're going here because, as a physician, one of the most important things I can do is empower the patient and make sure that they don't think that I am the end-all-be-all. [I want them to know] that we are collaborating and that I listen to them, and I say: "How do you feel about this treatment plan? Where do you want to go?" Granted, if I have wisdom, I can give them that information, but they still get to make that decision. But so many patients are outsourcing that wisdom to someone. Or, at least paternalistically and historically, that has been the way. And what we need to do is take control of our own health. Dr. Jill 08:00 How many patients have gone through a loved one with breast cancer—I'm a breast cancer survivor, so I can speak on this—and they're told, "You have the BRCA gene and you need to have a bilateral mastectomy"? I'm going to be strong about this because I disagree. That's an action out of fear. To each his own, so if you've been out there and have done something based on your genetics, there's no judgment here. But what we're saying is that you actually have control over the expression of those genes. So why don't you go into epigenetics for those who don't know what that means and tell us a little primer on epigenetics and why we have more control than we think? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 08:34 Okay. The most important thing—and this is all scientific, so this is not any new age BS here, folks, this is science—I say: "What is it?" The belief that genes turn on and off is a completely false statement because a gene is a blueprint to make a protein. The proteins are the building blocks. Proteins wear out; you have to replace them. So you have to have a blueprint. It's called a gene. I go, "It's a blueprint!" I go, "Why is that relevant?" I say: "Go to an architect's office. She's working on a blueprint. You ask her, 'Hey, is your blueprint on or off?' She would look at you like, 'What are you talking about? There's no on and off to a blueprint.'" I go: "Aha! Aha! A gene is a blueprint. What you want to find out is: Who's the architect who reads the blueprint? The blueprint does not read itself. There's an architect." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 09:24 I saw this in my research in 1967. None of you were probably old enough to know what I'm talking about—1967! But I was cloning stem cells. Let's give the real name of a stem cell: An embryonic cell. It's an embryo's cell. It replaces things that are broken and gets a new one. I go: "So what? I clone the stem cell." I say, "What's that?" I say: "You put one stem cell in the culture dish. And then what? It divides every 10 or 12 hours." So first there's one, then there's 2, then there's 4, 8, and 16. A week later, [there are] 30,000 cells in the petri dish. What's the most important fact? They all came from one parent. I have 30,000 genetically identical cells. I split them into three petri dishes—one, two, three. Each dish has 10,000, 10,000, 10,000, all genetically the same. We grow cells in a culture medium. Ah, this is going to be the tricky part, for when you get this, the world changes. I'm going to come back to it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 10:27 I say: "A culture medium is what the cells grow in in the lab. And I make it up by putting the chemistry or culture medium. Since I'm creating it, I can change some of the constituents. So I make three different versions of culture medium, A, B, and C." So I say, "So what?" Each one represents a different environment because the cells live in a culture medium. So I say: "Okay, dish one, environment A—the cells form muscle. Dish two, environment B—the cells form bone. Dish three, environment C—the cells form fat cells." I'm doing this experiment. I'm teaching genetic determinism, and I'm watching the cells and going— Dr. Jill 11:10 Wait a second. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:11 —"Wait a second, who controlled the activity?" They were all genetically the same. What was different? The environment. The chemistry of the environment selected the genes. The genes did not select themselves. Then, all of a sudden, I said, "Why is this important?" It's a revolution! I'll tell you why. Genetic determinism: Victim. The new science, epigenetics, which I'll explain: Master. Why? Because you control the environment. It's the environment that controls the cells. It's called epigenetics. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:48 [There's a] simple reason why the name [is what it is]. What do we call skin? Epidermis. Why? What's under the skin? A layer called dermis. What's the skin above the dermis? Epidermis. Epi: Above. Epigenetics: Control above the genes. I go, "Whoa, the control is not in the genes." I said: "No, it's to control the environment that the genes live in." I go, "Well, wait, I control the environment." Aha! If you control the environment, then you control the genetics. And that's all of a sudden where the new science comes in. The genetic determinism: Victim. Epigenetics: Master. You control your genes. So basically, what I saw back in 1967 was, "The genes didn't make this decision." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 12:48 Now let's just jump ahead a second here because that's a basic science. And then I'm going to give you this, which you're totally aware of: You are a skin-covered petri dish. You have 50 trillion cells under your skin and you have the original culture medium. What is a culture medium? I didn't say it before, but I'll tell you where it is: A laboratory version of blood. When I grow human cells, I concoct a culture medium based on the constituents of human blood or mouse blood, depending on which cells I'm growing. What's the point? You are a skin-covered culture dish with what? The original culture medium. You have the blood. The blood carries the chemistry, which activates the genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 13:34 So the first point: Scientifically, it doesn't make a difference if the cell is in a plastic dish or a skin dish? I said, "No, it's the environment." And I say the environment in your body is the blood for the cells. Then come two questions that blow the game into a new evolution. Question number one: What controls the chemistry of the blood? The answer is the brain. It's the chemist. The big one—here it is, hold on: What chemistry should the brain put into the blood? You know what it is? Whatever picture you hold in your mind, the brain translates the picture into complimentary chemistry that matches the picture. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 14:25 I say, "So why is this important?" The picture in your head becomes material in your body. You manifest what you're thinking. I go: "Wait a minute. Would I manifest this life? Would I manifest my cancer?" I go, "Yes." I go, "You say that so affirmatively." I go: "Quantum physics—the most valid science principle number one [is that] the mind is the creator of our experience." I go: "Well, epigenetics is the biological component of that physics mechanism." Epigenetics is how the mind adjusts the genetics of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:05 And I go, "We're facing a healthcare crisis on this planet." I go, "Yes, we are facing a healthcare crisis." And I go, "What's responsible?" We put all the money into science. You know what we're looking for? We're looking for the gene—the gene that controls that problem. Guess what? Less than 1% of all diseases on this planet have any connection with genes. Wait, then that means only less than 1% of what we diagnose as disease is connected with genes. I go, "Yes, that's a fact." Then what is really contributing to the worldwide crisis in healthcare? The answer is: Stress is 90% the cause of disease, minimum. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:54 I go: "Okay, come on! How could that do that?" Let's give the biology because it's not New Age again. You're ready? When you're in stress, you're in threat. When you're in threat, you engage a protection response. I say, "What is a protection response?" The protection response is: When you perceive stress, you will release stress hormones, adrenal hormones. I go, "Yes, so what?" Well, what do you think the adrenal hormones do? They prepare the body for fight or flight. I go, "So what?" I say: "First of all, there are three stages to take a body from health, happiness, joy—I'm in the garden, I love my life—to 'Ah! A sabertooth tiger's chasing me!'" I say, "So I have to switch from growth, boom, into protection." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 16:41 How does that happen? Three steps. Number one, stress hormones cause the blood vessels in the gut to constrict. Why? Because most of the blood is in the gut. I say, "Who cares?" I say: "Ah, but the blood is a source of energy. So if you need energy, you need blood." So I say, "So what's the point?" I say: "Most of the blood is in the gut, taking care of the body, cleaning, fixing, repairing, nourishing, and doing all those things. But the moment stress hormones come in, the blood vessels squeeze shut. People feel it in the body." "It's queasy. I feel very queasy when I'm in fear like this." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:16 I say: "But some people say butterflies in the stomach. Why?" The fluttering of the blood vessels shutting down—you can feel it. And it's a fluttering. And what's happening? The blood is being pushed to the arms and legs, and that's where I need to run away from that damn tiger. So number one, redistribute the blood. Where do I take it from? [From] growth and maintenance to protection. So I'm not funding growth and maintenance when I'm running from the tiger. I go, "No, you're not." Number two, the immune system is to protect me on the inside. If I'm being chased by a saber-toothed tiger, then what's the value of the immune system? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:55 I'll give you a scenario. Come on, doctors, listen to this. The patient's got a bacterial infection. They're going to have a real bad case of diarrhea coming up here and they're being chased by a saber-toothed tiger. How would you split the energy of the body? How much to support the immune system and how much of that energy to run away from the saber-toothed tiger? I'll give you a second. Okay, thank you. The answer is, of course, who cares about the immune system? If the tiger chased you, the bacteria are not your problem anymore, that's for sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 18:26 Listen, stress hormones shut down the immune system to conserve energy. And you know damn well that when people are sick, sometimes they don't even have the energy to get out of bed because the immune system uses a hell of a lot of energy. If you're being chased by a tiger: I can't support the immune system because if the tiger gets me, who cares about what's happening in the interior?—it's not mine anymore. It's so important—in fact, therapeutic—that when they transplant an organ from person A into person B and they don't want immunological rejection, they give the recipient stress hormones before the operation. That restricts the function of the immune system so it doesn't immediately reject the foreign graft. Ah, so stress hormones are used therapeutically to shut off the immune system. So I say, "Yes, what do you think stress does automatically?" That's number two. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 19:21 Number three, conscious processing is slow compared to reflex behavior. Conscious [processing] is like, "Oh, let me think." Reflex is boom! Boom! Like that. The point is, if you're running from a saber-toothed tiger, conscious processing is going to delay your nervous system because you'll be thinking. When that tiger is coming, guess what? Remember the role of the stress hormone—to squeeze the blood vessels here? They squeeze the blood vessels in the forebrain. I say, "Why?" Because it stops the blood flow from going to the conscious mind. Where's it going? The hindbrain—reflex behavior. Result: We become less intelligent in the fear process. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 20:11 So I say: "Let's put these all together. I shut down growth, I shut down the immune system, and I shut off conscious awareness." I go: "When was that system formed?" "Oh, a couple hundred thousand years ago." I say: "What was it responding to?" "The saber-toothed tiger?" I go: "So what was important?" "If you escape that tiger for five minutes or ten minutes, there's no more saber-toothed tiger, no more stress." So it was used for five to ten minutes. Shut it down [for] five to ten minutes; we'll come back later. In today's world—you know the whole thing—every day, every minute, we're in stress. The system was never designed for chronic stress. It shuts down the vitality, health, and maintenance of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 21:01 The stresses of this world are responsible for over 90% of healthcare crises. This is recognized by the American Psychological Society: 95% of visits to doctors' offices [are] stress-related. I was a programmer. And I'm not proud now because, when I programmed, people used to believe in genetic determinism. I go: "No, no. I was wrong. Epigenetics, okay?" But we've been programmed to be victims. Dr. Jill 21:32 Yes. First of all, I think doctors are starting, at least in my realm of functional/integrative—we're talking epigenetics; we're using this. And I just want to share a personal example to bring home what you just shared. It's so important. Many of my listeners know that at 25, I had breast cancer, then Crohn's disease, and then autoimmunity. I'm the poster child. What I remember very clearly is that in my 30s, I got mold-related toxicity. My immune system was terribly trashed and overactive and I was under high stress. I remember one day walking along and realizing: "This stress that is in my body is actually killing me." I had the mentality [of] "beating cancer," "fighting cancer," "fighting this," "fighting that"—fighting, fighting, fighting—which is your saber-toothed tiger [description]. I was in fight or flight. Dr. Jill 22:16 The day I realized that was the day I realized I could also reprogram my immune system through my thoughts. That day I started thinking [up] a new paradigm, thinking about these little yellow minions being my immune system. They were helping escort mold toxicity out of my body without this fight because, [in] fight or flight, there's no healing. And now, today, I'm healed from that and from mold-related illness and all of this. But it's really that moment when I realized I could change my thought process, change the function of my immune system, recover from Crohn's, cancer, and toxic mold, and no longer fight. Dr. Jill 22:53 And the most important message, as you brought home, is that when I'm sitting with a patient, if they're in fear, if they are in fight or flight, and if they are feeling unsafe in their body, there is no amount of pills, supplements, IVs, nutrition, or even good advice that I can give them… Unless they go to that place of unsafeness, that place of fear, that place where they're still somatically running from the tiger. We have to change that, and it starts with this. Dr. Jill 23:22 So I love, love, love that you framed this. And I just want to give you credit because you've been doing this work for decades before anyone else was talking about it. And now we're seeing it. And finally, doctors in my field are starting to acknowledge and talk about it. But even in my field, functional medicine is a lot about supplements, diet, and lifestyle. That's all great. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 23:40 Well, that's environment! Dr. Jill 23:41 Right? Right. Actually, that's the thing I was going to mention too. My specialty is environmental toxicity, so I know the petri dish of how it affects our bodies. But I do believe, as you're saying, that this reprogramming of our mind… Do you have any stories or examples, maybe from your book, of a patient, client, or somebody who has read your book who really took this and changed from there? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:03 I've got hundreds and hundreds of letters from people who've written. There were two things about this. Let me express it even in my personal life. I understood this from a scientific point of view. Man, it was in my laboratory, my research. It was repeatable; I could do this all the time. It took 23 years before science caught up with that observation. I [inaudible] a lot of other things in between to conform. And the reality is that our own understanding about our frailty—it's an understanding. And then I give an understanding of, "No, we're very powerful." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:42 I was so happy to go and find an audience of doctors and people: "Let me explain how to create the most wonderful life. Here's the science!" And then they'd come to my lecture and they'd look at me and go: "Lipton, your life doesn't look that good for a guy who says you know this." Oh my God, I was caught. You know what it was? Talking the talk, not walking the talk. I knew the science. It was in my head. Did I make it part of my life? No! I say: "So what was the point? I don't care how smart you are; if you don't make a part of your life, it's irrelevant." Totally! Then all of a sudden, when I caught myself going, "Oh, do as I say, not as I do," it's like, "I can't do that!" So I had to say: "Stop lecturing. Start living your life with the principles you are telling other people. Live this now." How long did it take me to change my life? Oh, within a month, my life was completely on a whole different spectrum. And it was like, "Now, of course, I start talking about it again," because it was real. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 25:47 Let me just give a simple understanding, a scientific understanding, and that is this: The mind is not one thing. "Oh, the mind." I go: "No, not the mind. There are two minds. And they're interdependent, but they have different functions." The conscious mind, the latest evolution: The prefrontal cortex, right behind your forehead, [is] the seat of the conscious mind. What's that? The conscious mind is your source, your personal identity, your spiritual place. What else is it? It's creative! That's what makes humans different than all the other animals. We can take ideas, boom, build them, and create in the conscious mind. What about the subconscious mind? Oh, the original one? Hard drive, programs, habits, stored behavior. Thinking? Uh-uh. Just behavior—program. Dr. Jill 26:38 The subconscious has no way to differentiate truth, right? It does whatever you tell it to do. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 26:44 No, well, the subconscious doesn't do what you tell it to do; it does what it tells it to do. The subconscious is the autopilot. I say, yes, the mind works, but you have to understand that when I'm in the conscious mind, that is the creative side. That's the side with wishes, desires, and aspirations. What do you want? Conscious mind. Subconscious mind: Program. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:09 I say, "So what's the issue with our life when it comes down to it?" The monkey wrench that blows the whole thing out is that when the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. A thought is inside. When you're present, your conscious mind is looking at the world and engaging the world. Right now, in front of it, I'm engaging it. But if I'm thinking, my conscious mind is no longer looking out; it's looking in because a thought is on the inside. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:38 So I say, "Wait, what if I'm driving the car and I have a thought?" And I've got to tell you, in fact: Then you're not driving the car. "What do you mean? No accident or nothing." I say: "Driving is a program. You don't have to think about driving." In fact, most of the time, if you've been driving for a long time, you never think about the details of driving. It's an automatic behavioral program. It plays when you're not paying attention. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:02 I go: "Aha! When the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. Why? It's inside." So I say: Walking, driving, talking, doing your job—hey, those are habits. You've been doing it all—whatever [it is]—for a long period of time. You don't have to re-learn it. It's automatic. Do you even have to think about walking? No, you didn't even have to say: "Oh, I'm going to walk from here to there. I'm going to get that." I say: "Walking is automatic. You don't think about it—program." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:37 So then comes the number and this is scientific: Ninety-five percent of the day is the average person's amount of thinking. Then what does that represent? Biologically, only five percent of the day are you creating your life with the conscious mind's wishes and desires. Ninety-five percent of the day your life is coming from programs that you downloaded mainly before age seven. And I go, "Where did I get the programs?" I go: "Before age seven, your brain is not primarily functioning at the level of consciousness, which in EEG terms is alpha, beta, and gamma. When you're under seven, you're operating primarily at theta, which is just below consciousness." Theta—imagination. Hey, the tea party: Pour nothing into the cup. Drink the nothing. "The best tea I ever had in my life!" That's imagination. That's theta. That's what kids do all the time. They can have imaginary friends. They play with them all the time. It's imagination. Theta is hypnosis. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 29:41 I go, "Why is that important?" How many rules does it take to be a member of a family? How many rules does it take to be a member of a community? Now we're talking thousands. I go, "Why is that important?" I said, "Well, teach an infant a thousand rules." I go: "They can't read a book. They can't sit in a classroom. They can't understand a video." I said: "How are they going to learn?" Nature took care of that. Nature gave the first seven years theta, which is hypnosis. You want to know the behavior? Watch your mother, watch your father, watch your community. Watch their behavior; download it. Now it's your behavior! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:19 So the behavior that's in your subconscious mind didn't even come from you, did it? Nope, it came from other people. And did they answer your wishes and desires—what you'd like? Not necessarily. So then, are there programs in there that give you what your wishes and desires are? Not necessarily, no. In fact, I say, "So what about these programs?" Sixty percent of the things you downloaded as a kid—sixty percent of the subconscious programs [are] disempowering, self-sabotaging, and limiting beliefs. And you operate ninety-five percent of the day from them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:53 Ah, but here's the monkey wrench you didn't catch! Why am I using my subconscious programs? Because my conscious mind's not paying attention; it's thinking. Well, then, do you see the programs when they come out? I go: "Nope! You're the only one who doesn't even see the program!" Why? Everybody else around you is responding to your program. You're not even paying attention [to] what the hell is coming out. Sixty percent of it [is] disempowering yourself. So the issue is this: We are not controlling our lives. Our program controls our lives. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 31:28 I say, "Oh, this is a new science." I go: "Scientifically, this is valid. This is understanding theta activity, downloading programs, conscious, subconscious, blah, blah, blah, blah." But the Jesuits knew about programming for 400 years. They would tell their followers, "Give me a child until it is seven, and I will show you the man." Oh my God, that's 100% right! The programming is before age seven, and 95% of the life is the program. They knew it. They created Catholic schools to help the programming go along. And that idea is never lost because if you can watch an infant today, which I've seen carrying an iPad, interacting with a program on a computer, that's far better programming than Jesuits could ever have thought of. Dr. Jill 32:17 Yes, it's clear, isn't it? That's a really good transition because one of the things I see as the biggest crisis in healthcare is environment, but it's environment that is no longer socially interactive or present. We're numbing ourselves out with machines, with iPads, and with phones. They are designed to create an addictive behavior, so they're tapping into some of those subconscious programs, right? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 32:40 And let me just add this to that: It's not just that behavior, but it's also creating disempowering behaviors. So these programs—as you were just going to say, and I'll let you have it back again—were not designed to help us; they were designed to control us. Dr. Jill 33:05 Yes. And sell and control. Yes, so we are pawns in this new world of technology that is neurodynamically designed to be addictive. If you haven't seen The Social Dilemma, that's a great place to start in your education on social media and the impact. I do want to talk about this. One of the things you just got done saying is that before seven, we're programmed. I totally understand and believe that. But the truth is, we have the power to change that programming. Tell us about that. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:36 Most everybody out there has changed that programming. I say, "You've already done it." I say: "What, the movie The Matrix, being a documentary, everybody's programmed?" Yes, of course, that's the foundational belief of the movie and the reality. And in the movie, they offered the red pill. And I say: "What was the red pill? You get out of the program!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:54 I go, "Almost everybody out here right now listening has done that." I say: "What was the consequence? How did it happen?" I'm going to tell you. Falling in love is a red pill. I go, "What do you mean?" Because when you first fall in love, you stop thinking. Biologically, you stay present; you stay in the conscious, creative mind. You've waited for this person your whole life. They're there. What, you want to start thinking and then ignore them? Are you kidding me? You stay up conscious. You stay mindful. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 34:23 I say, "So what happened?" I say: "Your life up to meeting that person: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You meet them [and] 24 hours later: 'Oh, man, life is beautiful. Life is so wonderful. Hey, the food's really good. That music is even better than I ever thought it was.'" And even the crappy job is not so crappy. I said: "What'd you do?" You made honeymoon. What's honeymoon? Heaven on earth. I said, "What was your heaven on earth?" Whatever you wished and desired. You and a partner coming together when you're both wishing and desiring, you're sharing the same wishes and desires, you manifest a honeymoon. Oops, I dropped something, but okay. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:01 Is the honeymoon already there? I go, "The honeymoon's always there." I said, "Then how come you don't have it?" Because when you start thinking, you then go back to subconscious control, the default. And the problem is, why do 50% of marriages end up in divorce? The answer is this: Marriage has started with the relationship of two conscious creative minds sharing together a belief in creating a honeymoon, and it ends when thinking enters into the people and they start playing their regular programs, which are 60% negative. The partner hears these programs. The one saying the thing doesn't hear it; the other one hears it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:43 I love the response. When somebody comes out in a relationship and the loving partner hears some kind of BS come out of their other partner, they look at them and go: "Who are you? Where did you come from?" What? It was never part of the behavior. And then, all of a sudden, it shows up. And the more thinking, the more that negativity shows up. There's a point where a partner will say: "That's enough. That's not why I signed up here. I signed up because we had a great honeymoon." After you started thinking, this thing went right down the tube. The point is, that's what reality is about. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:18 So the idea then becomes simple, which is the obvious thing: "What if I created all programs that represented my wishes and desires—if I had those programs?" I said: "Oh, you know what? Whether you're consciously creating those wishes and desires or your conscious mind is off in left field, your subconscious will be manifesting the wishes and desires. And guess what? A honeymoon is not a short period. A honeymoon is every day of your life for as long as you live." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:46 Does it work? Personally, I had some very bad programming when I was young because my mother and father had a dysfunctional relationship. I downloaded my father's dysfunctional behavior. I played it when I couldn't see it. The result is that I couldn't get relationships off the ground. Then I understood the nature of the programming. Then I understand the nature of reprogramming. Around 50, I met my partner, Margaret. We just celebrated 28 years! And I'm not selling just a relationship; I'm talking honeymoon for 28 years. To wake up every day in my life and go: "Oh my God, I'm still here. Oh my God, I have another day to smell the roses, to have a piece of cake, to enjoy the love, watch the environment, and love my life." I celebrate life. Jill celebrates life. What's the result? Where's the illness? What illness? Dr. Jill 37:45 Yes! I love that. There are some points that I think are so crucial that you just made, number one, being present with our partners, watching them in real time and observing them. So often we create a program of them, a template, and then we don't expect them to change. Or, we expect them to behave the same. And when we're in real time, present with another person—whether it's a friend, family member, business associate, or lover—we can respond in real time. And that's part of that co-creation that you're talking about. It's crucial. Dr. Jill 38:15 The other thing is that with illness, I find one thing that was—I'm sure this is related to the program, [and] I'd love your comments—I never identified with the cancer. I never became the cancer. I never made that part of who I was. Even now, I'm like, "Oh yes, 20 years ago, I had cancer." And of course, it's real, but it's almost foreign because it was never part of me. And I really believe that's a huge part of why I overcame a very, very aggressive cancer at the age of 25—because it never was my identity. Do you want to talk about that a little bit? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 38:44 Yes, let's just talk about this. The first thing is that I'm going to give a fact of science [to] which [a person might say], "He really said that?" And I'm going to say, yes, I'm going to say this. There's not one gene that causes cancer. There's not a gene [where], "You have this gene, you get cancer." The one scary one for women, of course, [is] the breast cancer gene. I go, "So what?" I go: "Women who carry the breast cancer gene don't necessarily have to have cancer. As a matter of fact, nearly half of them don't get cancer. But they have the gene." So then I say, "Then where did the cancer come from?"—because those who have the cancer with the gene and those who are healthy with the gene have the same gene. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 39:20 What's the difference? The answer is this: Cancer is correlated with a gene, not caused by a gene. Cancer is caused by disharmony in the system. Disharmony is the source of disease. Harmony is the source of health. Disharmony means your programming wasn't really good, and you're responding to things in a negative way that is going to cause a breakdown of the system. That's where the stress comes into it. So the concept is this: The image—even if once you tell a woman, "Yes, you have the breast cancer gene," what the hell image do you think is going to be in her head? The answer is: Cancer. I go: "Yes, but isn't the function of the mind to take the image of the head and turn it into reality?" I go, "Absolutely! What's the consequence?" Ninety percent of cancer has no genetic linkage at all. Dr. Jill 40:14 Yes. That was the biggest question I got as a 25-year-old. Every single person, to a T: "Oh, did you have genes?" No, I didn't have genes. I had a dysfunctional system when I was in my 20s. That goes into a whole other lecture that I could give, but I was not living consciously. And there were some things, stress-wise, that were contributing. And it was the environmental toxic load. So all of these things are the petri dish. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 40:38 And more than that, there must have been the two programs. Eighty to ninety percent of all people will not test positive for two beliefs. Number one, and I think the most important, is the belief, "I love myself." Eighty percent of people will not test positive for that belief. Number two, and this is the one where the healthcare crisis comes from: "I am safe." When you have a picture of fear, then the chemistry of fear is to manifest the fear. When they say "This is it" and [show you] a picture of the tumor and everything, then you make the chemistry of the tumor. Then the idea is that we have to own quantum physics. Consciousness is the source of our life experiences. We have to understand the nature of epigenetics. Consciousness is the source of what controls our genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 41:07 The third thing that I think is part of the Renaissance that we really must emphasize at some point is Newtonian physics, which separates physical from non-physical, matter versus energy. It's an illusion. It's not real. But it programs us in a very bad way because the program says: "Whatever is made out of matter can only be affected by matter. Whatever is made out of energy can only be affected by energy." And I say, "So what's the consequence?" I say: "The body is matter. And what do you think the whole foundation of the pharmaceutical company is? The body is matter and we make the matter to fix the matter." Dr. Jill 42:16 Yes. What's the matter with that? [laughs] Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 42:18 Three hundred thousand people die in the US every year from prescription drugs, that's what's the matter with it, when less than 50,000—I think 30,000—people die from illegal drugs. We have a war on illegal drugs, and 300,000 people dying from pharmaceutical drugs is called the cost of doing medicine. I go: "That's damn expensive! We don't need that." Simple law of science: If a drug works, it only works because you already had a receptor for that drug on you. Do you think nature put receptors on cells, waiting for the pharmaceutical company to make a drug? No, come on, man! If you have a receptor for a drug, it's because you have a receptor for a drug that you make. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:01 I go, "I can make any drug." Of course, because any drug works because you have a receptor to connect it. If you have a receptor, then you obviously have a signal that will bind to that receptor. Then you say, "Well, it's not working." And that's where everything gets screwed up because that system isn't working and then you go right away: "Oh, the body is defective. The genes aren't working right. There's an interference with the physical." I go, "Yes, there was an interference because it didn't start down here; it started up here." And once you start to understand this, yes, treat the body if there's an immediate need to treat the body, but the process of treating the patient is treating this part. Knowledge is power. They do not have the knowledge of who they are. They're programmed [to think]: "I'm a victim of my genes and I have no power." I go, "Well, there's your problem." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:54 And the issue about it is that you guys are in the front of the evolution that says: Okay, I can treat the patient, but I've really got to treat the consciousness of the patient. Why? Because, as quantum physics says, consciousness is the source of this creativity, and as epigenetics says, consciousness is the source of this expression. You cannot leave that out. Dr. Jill 44:18 You just talked about two beliefs that I think are critical and it's a great place to kind of wrap up. The first one is: Do we love ourselves? Do we really, really, truly love and accept ourselves? I have written a book and done a movie on that message. The heart of healing is: How do we show self-compassion and love? Because that is the only way that our cells will respond in health. Dr. Jill 44:41 The second thing was so crucial too, and that is the fear and the unsafety. This is where a physician in the office can make all the difference, because if they add to that fear message, guess what? That's just adding to that patient's unhealth. So one thing we are obligated to do as physicians is create a safe environment and teach that patient how to start to feel safe in their body. With those two beliefs, maybe in the last couple of minutes here, could you maybe give us some practical advice for somebody who's like: "How do I start doing that, Bruce? How do I feel safe in my body? And how do I love myself?" Because that, I couldn't agree more with you, is really the core message here. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:19 I'll tell you, let's get right to the root of why people do not love themselves. The answer is: Because parents act like coaches on a sports team. I go, "What does that mean?" A player isn't doing well. What does the coach say? "Oh, do better." No! The coach says: "That's not good enough. Who do you think you are? You don't deserve to be on this team." Well, a player is older than seven. They're in consciousness. They understand that the coach is saying, "You better do better!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:47 Now let's say the parent is the coach and the kid is under seven. There's no consciousness operating. What's operating? Hypnosis, programming. So when the father says, "That's not good enough, you don't deserve this, you're not lovable, you don't belong," blah, blah, blah—acting like the coach who says, "This is going to make them do better"—if the kid is under seven, you just programmed them to self-sabotage because the subconscious is going to create 95% of their life. And if I get a program "I do not deserve," when I'm thinking 95% of the day, what the hell program is running? "I do not deserve." So I could say something so stupid in my corporate structure or something, and somebody says, "That guy doesn't deserve to be here." And then, all of a sudden, I'm kicked out of the structure. Why? Because I myself made behavior to conform to "not good enough" and to not love myself. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:41 This is why that one's so important—because if you can't love yourself, I'm going to be honest, you can't accept love from somebody else. I go, "Why?" Because they say they love you, but in your mind, you're going: "Well, they don't know me, man. I know I'm not lovable." And you'll push them away. And then you'll find yourself with nobody around. And guess what you'll say? "You see?! I'm not lovable!" [inaudible] You just did that. And when it comes to "Do I have any power?" the answer is: No, it has been systematically deprived of them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:59 I've got a minute; I've got to say this because this is really cool. There's a power struggle in the world. It's always been this way. There are three levels of power. Number one, caveman. Who's the biggest badass with the biggest club? Whatever they say, do it. They've got the power. Evolution came along. There are people then who control the resources that you need. And all of a sudden they say, "If you want those resources, you've got to give me something for this." And you know what? The ones who had the resources paid the caveman to hit you over the head if you didn't pay for the resources. Dr. Jill 47:53 A personal hitman. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 47:55 That's the king who owns the resources with an army of cavemen. Then I say, "But the last of the power struggles came down to 'knowledge is power.'" And it was recognized that, yes, that is the supreme power of everything. Knowledge is power. The first thing the church of Rome did was acknowledge: "We are the source of infallible knowledge. We are the source of truth. We say it; it's true." Well, you say, "I don't care." The point about it was that people gave up their power to the belief. And I say it here very quickly: There's a code behind the power brokers. I call it the powermongers' credo. I say, "What is it?" Are you ready? Give them the fear for free and then sell them the antidote. Dr. Jill (pre-recording) 48:46 Hey, everybody. I just stopped by to let you know that my new book, Unexpected: Finding Resilience through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith, is now available for order wherever you purchase books. In this book, I share my own journey of overcoming a life-threatening illness and the tools, tips, tricks, hope, and resilience I found along the way. This book includes practical advice for things like cancer and Crohn's disease and other autoimmune conditions, infections like Lyme or Epstein-Barr, and mold- and biotoxin-related illnesses. What I really hope is that as you read this book, you find transformational wisdom for health and healing. If you want to get your own copy, stop by ReadUnexpected.com. There, you can also collect your free bonuses. So grab your copy today and begin your own transformational journey through functional medicine and finding resilience. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 50:59 "What do you want me to do? Put a mask on? Sure. I'll mask on. I can't visit my mom, who's dying in a nursing home?" "No, you have to give that up because you can't do that." "Really?" Dr. Jill 51:09 Yes. If you're controlled, then fear created the biology of illness. It really, really is a great analogy. Bruce, this has been so fun to dive deep. I love talking to you. I love your enthusiasm. I love your wisdom. And I love most of all that you were so far ahead of the curve because people are kind of coming along to this belief. But the truth is, you were one of the very first ones writing and talking about this. And I'm just grateful that way back in the day, in the lab, you saw this and started writing about it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 51:44 I can't be any happier than I am for myself! I have a different life! I have a different life than before that discovery. Dr. Jill 51:53 Yes. And it transforms us all, too. I have many stories, the same thing, of me continuing to transform because of this knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do. Thank you for spending your time with us today!](https://www.jillcarnahan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bruce-Lipton-Biology-of-Belief-Can-Your-Mind-Spontaneously-Transform-Your-Health_-WEB-1.jpg)
56 Comments
I am very much in agreement here, the one area I wonder about is the use of NACL as a GSH precursor. It has shown to be not very effective.My research has led me to γ-glutamylcysteine found in undenatured whey.http://www.tennishealth.biz/glutathione.htm
Great explanation and introduction, Dr. Jill!
Hi – a friend who is also a hospice nurse suggested your blog when I told her I was trying to do some research before our 7yr old daughter possibly has to have a tonsillectomy. Long story short – I am compound heterozygous (C677T and A1298C) for the mthfr mutation. We found out after on 2nd son was stillborn 6wks before his due date. Fast forward 10yrs and I’ve had 2 DVT’s, a large post op clot form in my abdomen and a stroke after our 5th child was born ( I did lovenox injections for all our pregnancies after losing our son) The stroke was 10wks post partum / 1 week after stopping the lovenox. After the last clot in my arm 2yrs ago my doctors and I decided that warafin was now needed and I take 12.5mg daily. Our oldest son is also positive for the mutation and had a strokes after each open heart surgery to correct transposition of the great arteries. He currently takes 800mg of folic acid daily. Our daughter just saw the hematologist at our children’s hospital – she has tested positive for the Lupus Anticoagulant and well as Antithrombin III Activity and MTHFR . At our initial appointment her doctor said that the MTHFR deficiency doesn’t cause any concern with the majority of hematologists – I’m not sure I agree and given my history and the fact that I had so many tests done after our loss and also after the CVA that I can’t imagine that they’ve missed something – what are your thoughts? We’ve put our daughter’s surgery on hold and will be consulting w/ her regular pediatrician regarding the chronic strep and how else we can deal with this..her surgeon has tried to reassure us that she will be fine and he plans on a 3 day admission vs. an out patient procedure.. but my husband and I are just not comfortable with having her undergo the surgery with all this new information. At a bit of a loss with all of this – any input would be appreciated.
Hi Anonymous – sorry to hear your complex story of health issues. I suggest you contact my office or find a functional medicine doctor in your area to help you and your family.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr.Jill,
After getting a very high reading on my serum B-12 and being told it is probably from my diet when I have been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis and Hashimoto’s< I was wondering if something was going on. I also have not been able to get out of the active stage of mono for 2.5 years. I thought I didn't have enough stomach acid to kill the Epstein Barr virus, but when I got my second high B-12 reading yesterday, I suspected there was more going on than just low stomach acid. In fact this result is contrary to low stomach acid and the inability to absorb B-12. I suspect I have an MTHFR gene defect on some level and would love to get this tested. I went to the 23 and me Gene Test website and it appears their tests for this have been temporarily discontinued. Where else might I find this test? Could my PCP who is a DO and forward thinker order this test through Quest or Labcorp? Or should I just assume I have it and start treatment myself? Signed, Scared and confused but happy to have possibly stumbled upon an answer
You can still get 23andme raw data and easy for any physician who knows SNPs to help interpret. I recommend still getting that test done and finding a functional medicine doctor in your area….
Hi, I’d like to come to your Clinic. Where do I stay and what is approx. cost.??? Thanks.
Hi Janet,
Go to https://www.jillcarnahan.com/about-us/fees/ for fee information. If you have other questions, please call the office at #303-443-9590 and they will be happy to help!
warmly
Dr Jill
Did you mean heterozygous 677T/1298C is the worst, or homozygous 677T/1298C is the worst. My son is heterozygous 677T/1298C; I haven’t been tested yet.
Hi Heidi, just to be clear having 2 abnormal copies of C677T and 2 abnormal copies of A1298C would be the worst case scenario but it is so rare that I didn’t mention it.
Hi. I am a 35 yr old female who was recently diagnosed with MTHFR mutation c677t by an ND. I am supplementing mainly with active methyl folate per ND. However, I haven’t had children yet (and would like to get pregnant sooner than later) and trying to be sure I take all precautions. Anyone in GA that you recommend for further expert knowledge in this area?
Hi Kelly,
Try searching at http://www.functionalmedicine.org for someone trained in your area.
warmly
Dr. Jill
Dr. Jill.
Hello, I know you cannot assist via blog and I live in Pennsylvania, near Scranton. Could you give me a referral of a functional medicine? I did use the web site funcionalmedicine.org the nearest was 6000 miles away. you did need to choose so I chose MD and chose IFM certified. with out MD andIFM cert lots came up. I have balance, memory/learning problems and C677T MTHFR mutation, heavy brain fog, CRS (cant remember shit), cant seem to find any doctors with knowledge or willing to learn about MTHFR. Help with choosing who to call Please.
Thanks Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
You might try Dr. Debbie Bernstein (http://www.drbholisticmd.com) or Dr. John Neely ((717) 531-8181) or Dr. Alex Motroni ((570) 778-6466)
warmly
Dr Jill
Jeanne… I too live in Pa…closer to Binghamton,n y. I have just been diagnosed with MTHFR Mutation…I’m seeing Dr Kloss at Lourdes hospital in Binghamton.
Hello Dr Jill ,
I am a Pediatrician very interested in Functional Medicine and in MTHFR , do you know a doctor who has experience in South Florida specially with children .
Thank you ,
Bellia Jackson .
Hi Bellia,
Try searching for functional medicine trained docs by zip code at http://www.functionalmedicine.org – best wishes!
Dr Jill
Hi Jill
Do you perhaps know of a physician in the UK that could help me with this type of medicine
Thanks
Genee
Hi Genee,
Yes, my friend Michael Ash is an excellent resource in the UK and can be contacted through his website – here
Blessings
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
Thank you for this well laid out article to understand MTHFR. I am homozygous C677C. I’ve always had high B12 on my blood tests & now I know why – my body wasn’t methylating the supplement I was taking! (I always thought the high level was a good thing, but I stand corrected.) I just ordered some methylcobalamin.
Question: my husband is negative for the mutation, but also has high B12, plus depression. Is it possible to have methylation issues without the mutation? Would the same supplements be warranted? Thanks for your fantastic work!
Hi Jenny
Usually high serum B12 means the body may be deficient in other co-factors like folate or B6 or that there is difficulty getting the B12 intracellular for various reasons. So, yes this could happen without methylation issues and there are many other SNPs like MTR and MTRR that come in to play with B12
warmly
Dr Jill
So with unusually high B12, you should take the active form of b12, plus B6 and methyl folate to correct this, am I right? Will I see my B-12 go even higher for a time then? ( My reading for B-12 is already off the charts, so they just say over the top number with an arrow, and I don’t know how much over it is, as it doesn’t give any reading over 750., just an arrow showing greater than.) All this time I thought I was lucky not to have to ever worry about b-12 shots like so many people over 60 have to take. Thank you for enlightening so many of us who have had blood clots,, mini strokes and no one could figure out why.
Jeanne.
Hi Jeanne,
High serum B12 can mean many things. You could have too much or it could be unable to get intracellular. Sometimes lack of co-factors, like B6 can cause this problem, genetic mutations in B12 receptor, or lack of lithium. This may be especially true if you test serum levels just after getting injection or oral dose.
Warmly
Dr Jil
Have MTHFR c677, a IGM of 103 also have lyme disease.Can’t seem to get answer from local Drs. in Pa .Can you offer some suggestions , can this create a problem in the future
Hi Judy
You might try this LLMD in Pennsylvania – or Search here
warmly
Dr. Jill
I have the homozygous C677T mutation. I’m 49. No issues with pregnancies. Two normal deliveries years ago. Persistent anxiety and persistent low grade depression as well as mood issues. Lack of energy even though I exercise regularly. Too much sleeping. probably some ADHD and forgetfulness. Lack of joy. Eating disorder in the past and an adult child of an alcoholic parent. Any suggestions? I live in Broward County, Fl. Thanks.
Hi Maribel,
Methylation is not the only determining factor in your health. I also suggest working with a functional trained MD to check your gut health, toxic exposures and eat a clean, unprocessed diet.
Hi Jill,
I just found out I’m C677TT, homozygous.
My naturopathic dr was wonderful at finding out what’s wrong. However, she kind of approached the meds part aggressively. She wanted me on B-12 Complex Plus 2x a day and taking Sam e supplement. After reading so much I know you have to approach the methyl vitamin part slowly. I’m only taking one B-12 complex plus every two days. I notice even then it still makes me feel anxious. I haven’t taken the Sam e yet, should I? Would it make me more anxious on a low dose like 200mg?
Hi Suzette,
You are right to proceed with caution. Every individual is different on what they tolerate so you may want to start with the B12 first and the introduce the 200mg SAMe if things remain stable. Trust your body and stop it if you don’t feel well.
warmly
Dr Jill
Hi. So 677 and 1298 which I have can cause the constant unrelenting headaches I have had for 3 years non stop?
Thanks
It could be related…
Hi Jill.
An opinion if you will please. I also have had 24/7 headache/migraines for several years. Fatigue,rashes,nausea and a general unwell feeling accompany them. Started when I was 16 weeks pregnant 4 years ago. Countless migraine meds,mri’s,lumbar punctures,CT scans,botox injections, infusions,nothing will relieve this pain central behind my nose,eyes and forehead. Recently I found out I have both mutations of mthfr one from each of my parents. Mainstream doctors write this off as mumbo jumbo. I’m left wondering if it is possible that my MTHFR could be the culprit. On rereading this I sound somewhat desperate to “blame something”. I guess I am. I’m not asking for your diagnosis via your website Jill. Just your opinion as to whether it is likely to be the cause please. I don’t want to waste more money on a yet another dead end. I hope you understand. Thank you for your help. Christie.
Hi Christie,
Most likely there is a relation between your poor methylation and gut health, detoxification, and potentially hidden infections. The MTHFR is just the foundation that aids you in these processes so optimizing methylation may help your headaches but more likely it’s bit more complicated than being 100% related to your genetics.
warmly
Dr. Jill
Hi. I have a question. My blood test for B-12 always comes back high- like 1600 or so. I don’t eat any meat except chicken or fish. When I have taken b-12 supplements in the past, they have always made me feel better. Why is this if my blood tests always run high? Could my body still be depleted even with levels as high as 1600? Thank you!
Hi Allie,
Serum B12 is not a great marker of intracellular status. There are many reasons why a person could have elevated serum B12 and low B12 getting into the cells. Serum or urine MMA is a more accurate marker of B12 – so yes, it’s possible that you could still be depleted.
Warmly
Dr Jill
I had the 23 and me genetic test. How do I determine from the raw data if I have the MTHFR variants?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Marcia
You will need to run data through third party, like Genetic Genie
warmly
Dr Jill
Dear Dr. Jill. Greetings from New Brunswick, Canada. You have written some very powerful stuff in the past, and this is a true eye opener. I’ve been inactive and very ill for the past 8 years. I was told I have CFS/FM, but mostly referred to as a hypochondriac, anorexic or lazy patient. I will discuss this with my new doctor (a N.D.). Keep on doing your amazing work. Those suffering in silence truly appreciate it!
Fascinating information – thank you so much!
I too am in New Brunswick, Canada and have just ordered my 23andMe kit. I wanted to ask if you have any resource recommendations on the East Coast of Canada. My son is working with a N.D. in Lower Sackville, NS after discovering he is 1298 – A:C heterozygous 677 – A:C heterozygous.
Manon, I’m interested in your new N.D. in NB.
Hi Suzy, Try searching for a doc to help at http://www.functionalmedicine.org
best
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill; I’m glad to find this website! I’m a 45 yr old woman who had a massive stroke when I was 16. I was smoking & taking birth control pills at the time, so the docs finally decided that it was simply that — I was the anomaly. Because of my stroke, I developed epilepsy, & had to go on Tegretol. I had one child, who is relatively healthy at 18. However, when I was 42, I started getting rheumatoid arthritis.
I tried the traditional meds first, then switched to LDN. I was a vegetarian for about 10 years before my RA, but I became vegan. I’ve been a fitness fanatic all of my adult life, & I’m still gymming it, though not nearly enough. I started taking many supplements. It slowed the RA down, but didn’t vanquish it.
So I tested everything that I could think of: my gut is supremely healthy, I don’t have Lyme, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-barr, or candida.
I DO have two heterozygous variants of c677t & a1298c of the MTHFR gene… My integrative doc suggested B-complex with methyfolate. It didn’t help much, except to lower my anemia. I did start taking taurine (2500mg) & am feeling better than in a long while.
Is taurine working with the b-complex to help, or am I imagining this?
Can you suggest the best B-complex brand? Or should I take shots?
More suggestions?
Thank you!!!
Hi Aja,
Unfortunately with treating these issues, it must be individualized to the patients and treating just the methylation SNPs does not work. However, my favorite general active B vitamin is Prothera Active B Complex, which you can order from Prothera with code: 618. I also like the Prothera Methy-B12 lozenger.
Warmly
Dr. Jill
Hi Jill, I live in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale) and would you know any physician who could perform MTHF mutation testing or at least be familiar with it?
Hi Alex
Search by zip code at http://www.functionalmedicine.org
blessings
Dr Jill
I am homozygous for 677 and have been supplementing with Thorne Methyl-Guard Plus (1/day) and Thorne Basic Nutrients for 2 years. My serum folate levels just came back >24ng/mL. Can activated methylfolate raise those levels? I don’t get any synthetic folic acid in supplements or diet so I am confused as to why that level is so high. I thought it was measuring folic acid not the biologically usable form. Is that folate level too high? Thanks so much! Blessings!
Hi Jen,
this may be because your body is unable to use the regular folate and it is accumulating in your serum
Dr Jill
Would you cut back on the methyl guard and just use a multi-vitamin with methylfolate and methyl cobalamin for B vitamins? My B12 was slightly high (1200 pg/mL) and homocysteine fine (5.9 umol/L). I am assuming by “regular folate” you mean l-methylfolate. Thank you!
Hi Jen
I cannot give you medical advice on the blog. Please consult with your physician.
warmly
Dr Jill
Ok! But it is possible the good folate is showing up in my serum and not unmetabolized folic acid? You are amazing to read and follow, by the way! A true inspiration.
Thanks for the post! It helps everyone to understand something about MTHFR and methylation in general. In my opinion, 23andme is an excellent SNP DNA test kit and great value for the money. It went down from a one time fee of $199 to the current $99 USD.
Yes, unfortunately they raised the cost since I wrote the blog…
What are the alternatives to 23and me? I have factors which led me to wanting to identify my MTHFR genes. I have very high serum folate, had healthy births when I only started taking folic acid after I found out I was pregnant, miscarried the time I took folic acid few months in advance of conception, became ill after Trimethoprim anitbiotics (I read this could be related to mTHFR, but not sure) and others….
However, my saliva sample was rejected twice as 23and me were unable to get enough DNA from my saliva. They have now said I cannot order from them again! 🙁
But I don want to find out about MTHFR, especially since I want to have at least one more child. What can I do?
I recommend 23andme for the cost. There are other speciality labs but much more expensive. For just MTHFR gene mutations, this can be ordered through any lab
Why not just test for Homocysteine levels? If high, then treat for it… if not… no problem. Right? Or am I missing something? I have what appears to be many symptoms of “overmethylation”… any suggestions? Thanks!!
Yes, this is an important marker for sure but there are many others.
I agree with you
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